The Midland County Public Library Foundation is launching a new literacy initiative in partnership with Midland ISD, the Midland County Public Library and the Scharbauer Foundation aimed at providing books and author engagement opportunities for local third-grade students.
The initiative, called BookaPalooza, will provide books to approximately 2,300 Midland ISD third graders during the 2026-2027 school year. Students will each receive a copy of “The First Cat in Space Ate Pizza” by Mac Barnett, a bestselling children’s author and National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, giving them a shared reading experience across the district.
In addition to distributing books, the program will bring Barnett to Midland in 2027 for school and library visits, including appearances at Midland ISD Title I campuses and events at the Midland County Public Library.
“We believe that connecting students with books and the authors behind them can spark excitement about reading,” said Chris Stonedale, executive director of the Midland County Public Library Foundation. “BookaPalooza will give thousands of Midland-area students the chance to experience stories in a new and meaningful way.”
“The role of our local library is essential in our community, and Scharbauer Foundation is proud to work with our partners at Midland County Public Library Foundation to bring BookaPalooza to our Midland students,” said Mary Ann Beninati, CEO and president of the Scharbauer Foundation. “By putting books directly into the hands of children and connecting them with inspiring authors, this initiative creates meaningful opportunities for literacy and lifelong learning in our community.”
The foundation said the program is designed to make literacy more engaging by combining book distribution with direct interaction with authors.
Funding from the initiative will support book purchases and related programming for students across Midland ISD.
The Midland County Public Library Foundation said it is grateful for its partners, noting that collaboration with Midland ISD, the Midland County Public Library and the Scharbauer Foundation helps expand literacy opportunities for students across the region.